Open Up Your Eyes
by BlueMoonFan
Summary: An angsty one shot. Castle and Beckett build a life together until one fateful night changes everything...Character Death


_**Yeah, so this is a one shot. Very angsty. For extra angst listen to the song Open Up Your Eyes by Daughtry. I don't own the song or the characters... One shot**_

Peace. That's all she wanted. All she longed for. However, peace was the one thing that she couldn't have. No matter what...

 _ **A single rose left to remember**_

 _ **As a single tear falls from her eye**_

 _ **Another cold day in December**_

 _ **A year from the day she said goodbye**_

Beckett looked around and realized that she was the only one left in the cemetary. She smiled as she walked over to the now familiar marble slab. She brushed the errant leaves from it. The she knelt before it and ran her hand over the name that was engraved there.

 _ **Richard Castle**_

 _ **Loving Husband, Father and Son**_

 _ **Forever in Our Hearts**_

 _ **Gone But Never Forgotten**_

They'd shared nearly twenty years together. They'd had a daughter and twin sons. They married in a quiet ceremony attended only by their family. Their lives had been perfect for so many years. Years filled with everything she had ever wanted. It was all she could have hoped for. So much more than she had ever deserved.

Then, a year ago their life together had come to a tragic end. They'd been investigating a murder and when they entered the building, the killer had still been there. Castle had seen him first. However, Beckett had been standing between Castle and the killer. In a split second, Castle made a decision that would change her life forever.

Castle sprinted to push her out of the way. At the same time, the killer fired. Hitting Castle right in the chest. Unfortunately he hadn't been wearing his bulletproof vest at the time. Then, the killer walked over to where Castle was lying and fired three more shots before Beckett could do anything. Finally, she recovered enough and turned and fired at the suspect. Killing him instantly. She looked at Castle's still form laying on the ground and knew that he was gone.

 _ **It seems it's only been a moment**_

 _ **Since the angels took him from her arms**_

 _ **She was left there**_

 _ **Holding on to their tomorrow**_

 _ **But as they laid him in the ground**_

 _ **Her heart would sing without a sound**_

They'd been talking about retiring. So that they could travel and do more things together. Now all of those plans were gone. Taken away by a madman with a gun. Hell bent on killing anyone that stood in his way.

She had no idea how she made it through the funeral. She vaguely remembers everyone from the precinct being there. Offering words of comfort and support. However, words wouldn't bring Castle back to her. She missed him like she had never thought possible before. She knew that she couldn't go on without him, but she remained strong for their children. It was the only thing that kept her going. The only thing that kept her sane.

 _ **For the first time you can open your eyes**_

 _ **And see the world without your sorrow**_

 _ **No one knows the pain you left behind**_

 _ **Or the peace you could never find**_

 _ **It's waiting there to hold and keep you**_

 _ **Welcome to the first day of your life**_

 _ **Just open up your eyes**_

Somehow, she knew that he was free. Free from pain. Free from all the weight of all the years that he carried with him. Free from everything that made him, him. She knew that in death, he could finally live. She simply counted the days until she could be with him again. Free and alive for the first time ever.

 _ **A single lifetime lays behind her**_

 _ **As she draws her final breath**_

 _ **Just beyond the door he'll find her**_

 _ **Taking her hand he softly says**_

Twenty years to the day passed since she lost him. She knew that her own end was near. She could hear him talking softly to her. Calling to her from the other side. Finally, she looked at their children and her grandchildren and took one last breath and passed away.

She smiled when she saw him standing there waiting for her. He took her hand and whispered,

"I've missed you sweetheart. What took you so long?"

Beckett smiled and said, "There were some things I needed to do."

They kissed for the first time in years and he smiled and said, "I almost forget what it felt like to hold you. Welcome home Kate."

She snuggled close to him and whispered, "This is what Heaven feels like."

"What?"

"Standing here. Holding you."

Castle nodded and kissed her again.

 _ **For the first time you can open your eyes**_

 _ **And see the world without your sorrow**_

 _ **No one knows the pain you left behind**_

 _ **Or the peace you could never find**_

 _ **It's waiting there to hold and keep you**_

 _ **Welcome to the first day of your life**_

 _ **Just open up your eyes**_

Castle looked at her and whispered, "Can you see it?"

Beckett nodded and whispered, "I can. I can feel it to. Incredible peace. I've spent my whole life looking for it and I've finally found it. Here. With you. After all these years."

 _ **As I lay down tonight**_

 _ **Safe on the other side**_

 _ **No more tears to cry**_

Castle watched as a tear fell down her cheek. He took his thumb and wiped it away. Then he kissed her again and said, "There's no place for sorrow here sweetheart."

"I know. I'm just so happy to be together with you again."

Castle turned her around and held her. Then he whispered, "Look at how beautiful this place is."

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the sheer beauty of this place. She felt at peace for the first time in her life. We hear the final verse of the song playing as they hold each other and kiss...

 _ **For the first time you can open your eyes**_

 _ **And see the world without your sorrow**_

 _ **No one knows the pain you left behind**_

 _ **Or the peace you could never find**_

 _ **It's waiting there to hold and keep you**_

 _ **Welcome to the first day of your life**_

 _ **Just open up your eyes**_


End file.
